August 2011 chemo, anyone w/ me?!

I am day 5 after tx and still having s/e. Tx went well with no probably, AC. Day 2 wasn't so bad and went to get the neulasta shot. Day 3 threw up so took anti nausea meds and sleft all day. Sunday, day 4 got up and went to church then did a few household chores. Yesterday it was hard getting up even after 12 hours of sleeping. Managed to go to work, went in late but still made it in. Today couldn't get up and threw up again. Took the meds and slept all day. I feel like my live is passing me by when I sleep all day. I know I am whining but Im already tired of this. I never get sick and always have lots of energy and now it is just so hard not to be able to get anything done that I want to. Has anyone wanted to just stop the chemo. I am having chemo first to shrink the tumor, which has shrunk. Any idea if a doctor has ever stopped treatments instead of going thru the full treatments? I had a reaction to the first chemo tx and now just hate this feeling of feeling bad for so long.



Whining done, sorry everyone it's been a bad couple of days. has anyone had treatment stopped?

chrys, i haven't told my mother either, but she's 90 and dealing with dementia.  ha!  BUT even if she were younger and in perfect health, i wouldn't tell her because she'd be just like your mother.  it would all be about her, too, with the 'poor me.  my daughter has breast cancer.  oh, woe is me.'  i completely understand your feelings ... 100%.

capinva, vtEllen is right.  i remember feeling like i couldn't do it anymore after my first tx almost 3 weeks ago. i had almost a week of not feeling that great and the past two weeks, i've felt perfect. that week, though, was tough.  just know that you will feel better and you won't feel this way forever.  sending healing thoughts your way.

Had my first oncologist visit today,  he said he'd have liked to see me earlier,  but my BS had me see a radiologist first so that was not my doing.   He took my blood today to find out my oncotype.  If it reads 12 or lower he'll give me a less aggressive treatment and if it is higher he'll give me a more aggressive treatment.  4 rounds total 21 days apart.   I've been out of work since July 5th when I had my partial mastectomy,  so I only have 6 wks of disibility left t use.   So I decided to try going back to work to see if I can make it through.   If not then the doctor said i'll have to go back on disibility.     The doctor told me today he'll be giving me Cyclophosphamide and taxotere.   Then i'll be on the Tamoxifin for 5 yrs after that.    He said my hair will start to fall out after my 2nd treatment,  but I get a free wig from Red Cross and he'd write me a script for that.    I think this is going to be the hardest phase for me to get through.   Not looking forward to it at all.   Sigh.....     But glad I have all of you to talk to!   It helps to know I am not alone,  that's for sure.    God Bless each & everyone of you.   We're going to make it through this.

thank you, sweeney!!!

Sweeny, thank you for the encouragement.  It's so good to keep in mind that all this is temporary.  Keeping it all in perspective makes all the difference during the hard days.

Yaya and Aimska, how are you both doing?  Did you both find the second tx worse than the first or pretty much the same?  I get TCH like you two.  Had my first one on 8/1 and my second is due next Monday.  NOT looking forward to it! I have been feeling so great this past week, like my old self!  Aimska, sorry to hear about your fingers.  Did you ice them during treatment?  I think L-glutamine might help with that as well.

Chrys, my onco nurse suggested taking Vit. B1 (50mg) and B6 (100mg) to prevent neuropathy after I told her how much I dreaded having it.  I started taking them about 9 days after chemo because I had too many tummy issues to take supplements until then.  Check with your onco nurses and doctor to see what they say.

I have started losing my hair; huge clumps each time I comb it.  I am so not prepared for this!

Congratulations to all the new grandmas! Hope everyone is feeling better.

Amelie 

amelie, my next tx is the same day as yours ... on monday, so i can't answer your question about the cumulative effects of TCH.  i'm like you, though, in that the past two weeks i've felt so good. except for my bald head, you'd never know i'd had chemo.  i soooooo hope that the next treatment is as easy as the first.  i'll be thinking about you on monday and anxious to hear how it goes.  i'll report in, too.

Yaya, did you shave your head, or did you lose it all before the second treatment?  I still have hair on my head, but there is less and less of it each day.  I've been pulling it back in a bun and am so afraid of how I'll look with no hair.... I've been buying lots of hats on tlcdirect and headcovers since I decided that I now hate the two expensive (non-refundable) wigs I bought last month....

Welcome to all the new members to our group.  You'll find lots of support here.  It's so comforting to be in the company of others who understand what you are going through and can answer your questions.  Mommyx2, congratulations on having a new baby. You'll get through this; we all will!

  

Hair check ladies....how are we holding up?? My "d" day should be about sept. 6th.... I hope my dang wigs and scarves come soon!!!!



Sweeney thanks for checking in with us....next year seems so far away but I know we'll get there!!!!



Chrys....sorry you are going through that with your mom, I'm sure she's having a hard time accepting her baby is sick but she definitely needs to make peace and help you fight the fight instead of stress you out!!!! My brothers acting really weird towards me since I had my BMX, I don't think he knows how to deal with it so he just ignores me and it??? Sucks....



Hi peachy pie....glad to hear you have a plan in place now, that becomes a relief somewhat....



Ugh capinva...you've been throwing up? My worst fears going into this.... I hope you are starting to feel a little better!!!!



Summergirl...I better lose my leg hairs if I have to lose my head!!! Legs and armpits...gotta go!!!

Hugs Ellen on your last couple days with your hair for a little while, I'll be there in no time too. We're going to get through this.



I don't have Zofran in my army of meds.... My onc prefers emend and than compazine. I'm assuming if those don't work than they'll hit me with the Zofran next? Nausea I can handle.... Puking, ugh....not so much.



Wishing everyone well today!!!!!

Sorry to hear of all the bad SE going around for everyone.  I seem to be a lucky one -- at least for the first treatment.  A bit tired on days 2 and 3 post treatment, a bit of queasiness but that's it.  And nothing I can recognize from the Neulasta shot.

I have questions about hair loss.... was told with AC-T I have no choice it will go, but do you gals have any idea when? I'm sure my nurse told me before the second treatment but I haven't started losing yet -- watch, it'll all fall out tonight!!

I go for second round of AC Wednesday the 24th and am of course fearing the second time will be worse.  This time hubby will be able to come so I won't be alone.

And like dogmom and others, my dogs and their needs for long runs are keeping me moving!!

This site is the absolute best, I feel so much less alone!!

eekwine - I think they said about 2 weeks from your first treatment, the hair will go. I secretly hoped that mine wouldn't (even though I logically knew it would) but by Day 12, the amount coming out was noticeable. Day 13 for me (today), a TON came out in the shower this morning. Friday is my appt at wig place...buzz, buzz! Glad your hubby can come with you on the 24th.

Madismommy - I have heard that emend is the best (I got that in my IV), so if you have that as a take home med, you should be all set. My at home stuff was the stupid steroid, Compazine and Ativan. The compazine did not cut it for me so I asked for Zofran. And even though I felt nauseous, I never threw up. I took all my meds as directed and that's probably why.

vtEllen - My plan is to take a Zofran when I leave the infusion to try to combat the nausea from the get-go this time. I was also told that I would be fine for awhile just from what they gave me in the IV, but that did not prove to be true for me either.

About the oncotype test, I'm on the fence on whether or not to ask for it, just to know what my number is (even though I have to get chemo). What if the number is high? Then I will worry even more about recurrence. But if it was low, that might give me some peace of mind. Ugh, don't know.

Hope all of you are having a fabulous Wednesday!!!!!! 

Hi eekwine - i'm on the same AC-T schedule as you. My 1st treatment was on the 10th, my 2nd is next Wed, 24th.

I didn't have bad side effects other than yesterday, i had a slight fever and felt flu-ish. I slept it off though, and feel fine today. My appetite has been fine , and no other major side effects.  I'm scared too that the 2nd treatment will be much worse, but we'll see.

I also feel like I'm starting to feel a tingle in the back of my head. I'm scared every time I wash my hair that its all going to fall out! 

I've read the 1st is the easiest.  Chemo is cumulative, so with each infusion, it takes longer to recover from it.  That is what I've read and that is what I've experienced. 

Morning all!

Well, I feel 1/2 human today and I'm thankful for it. No more legs twinging/pain/aching and giving out and the aches are considerably less -- mainly gone today. My legs do tingle a little.

I don't want to jinx myself - I pray it stays away. I took Tylenol yesterday and then before bed last night, so I hope that helped.  My taste buds now seem dead -- water tastes like nothing. So strange...

Aimska is correct -- I hear the 1st is the easiest for some folks, but then the subsequent infusions are harder to bounce back from. Well, maybe for me, since the 1st was bad -- I'll go the other way and the others will be easier?!?   Oh Jesus; I cannot imagine being WORSE than I have been the last few days. *ugh*.  

I hope everyone is doing ok! Thanks for listening to me rant and complain. We are still here and taking one step at a time through this, so I should be thankful! 

Thanks for the warm welcome all!

No ice maker here either, 2 trays i try to bag and stock up.  Is the ice for drinks??  Sorry to sound stupid, just wondering if it was for something else.

Madsmommy, I didn't really get a choice of chemo day but i asked and would have to go with another doc or to a different location not too far. Its good to know that those were your concerns also with the days and S/E.  I guess once I start I will have a better idea and feel better about it.

My port placement hasn't been scheduled yet so I will get the first treatment in my vein and go from there.  I hear how it isnt bad and I am sure it will be easier at least for me but it does gross me out a bit.

I thought i would loose my hair 14 days in but the nurse told me it will be about 6 weeks.  Anyone?  Trying to wait for my hairdresser cousin to come with me for my wig when she is in town but they say you should go before you loose your hair.

Glad your feeling good Michell!